The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-08-16
Acton and Chautau0uw.

To the Editor of the Indianapolis Journal,
see in to-day's issue of the Journal, in the re-
port from Acton, that ''the management has
been disappointed in not having as large a num-
Der of cottagers as heretofore" also see in the
same paper that the management at Chautau-
qua are having trouble and are most likely dis
appointed WELL Now it may be well CROUCH
to state that many, il not the majority, of the
patrons OF both these institutions disap-
pointed in the management 1t has come to be
a mutual disappointment In the first instance,
the management has disappointed the patrons.
and the patrons, in turn. as might have been ex-
pected. have not come to the support of what
they did not feel was right and the manage
ment are disappoin ted. which they have right
to be. They ought to have known better.
There is class of people. however. who were
once, and would be still. friendly to the institu
ton if IL was conducted upon a catholic basis.
That is, not for the qualification of the few who
are not disappointed. 1t is just what they have
been looking for. an inevitable result
The management at Acton have made no
rangement for the accommodation of the aver
age daily visitor excursionist. There is
place provided where a family can go and spread
a dinner from thsi- basket, sheds to shelter
them from the sun or rain They are left to
wander about the grounds. feeling that they
in the way of the cottagers. The result of this
state of things is that one day at Acton is
enough for the average family for season In
other respects the management has been decid-
eddy Objectionable to many of the holders of cot
tages, and where they could they have rented
them out, or left them unoccupied with ito
sell" cards tackled upon the doors
The impression has gone abroad that the
management Is in the hands, virtually, at least
of very few who are running the institution
for their own qualification; and more it is limited
that though 1.-The management has been disap-
pointed" in their receipts, they have received
more money than it was worth. and that the
probability is they will receive still less for its
maintenance another year.
The suspicion is also abroad that the manage
ment of arranging the plan for next year was in
the hands of Acton Parks enemies 1t seems to
run somewhat follows, according reports
lecture course of two weeks. adjournment
for some days, then camp-meeting of two
weeks, for the pecuniary benefit of home
less evangelist Under such arrangement
there must be n great increase Of adhesiveness
during the next twelve months, or its disinteera-
ton is assured The thought is that the man
agement disappointed with it that they
have arranged for it's death. There is a large
camp-neeting element which, if they go at all,
will not go until after the lecture course is over,
and the lecture element will have done their
duty by the time the camp meeting begins and
they will be off for home. An old farmer said
to day that the arrangement for the Acton
cam p-meeting reminded him of a team he had,
composed OF a horse and a mule. When the
horse started the mule was not ready, and when
the mule got ready to 60 the horse had had his
pull and was done. He said that there was
uniformity in his team. however as they were
always that way. The same NAV not be true of
the management of Acton, however.
Some people think their expenses are too
much for what they have They are paying for
productions Tor did pay during the assembly,
hardly equal to what can be produced in any
county hieh-school in the land. 1t is not too
much too say that there is better talent at homo
than any they had there this year. The man.
agement of both Acton and Chautauqua seem to
be experimenting. By the time the latter gets
through with Lawyer Wade they will be wiser
il not better, and by the time the former learn
to live without food they will be like the Dutch
mans horse-dead. INDEX.
INDIANAPOLIS. Aug. 10.